Moving North

After our South Island adventure we settled back into work for another few weeks before finishing our stint in Greymouth.  Dan at this time was one of the two orthopaedic/ gynaecology/ general surgery/ urology RMOs (SHOs) and had built himself quite a reputation.   It was his singing that had become a talking point on the ward.  Dan can make any phrase into a song, something I learn early on in the dissection room at university where Dan would hold a lung in his hands and recite those well known words from Top Gun “take my breath away....” under his breath (always done with the upmost respect for Molly our cadaver of course!)  His other well known phrase was “can we go through the list again”.  A doctors list of jobs is kept close at all times.  Losing it would not only cause a potential ‘media frenzy’ as confidential information seeps into the ether, but panic as the days carefully planned and prioritised jobs disappear.  Dan would insist on going through the list every half an hour with his colleague Katie to ensure all jobs were itemised and in hand.

I’m not half as charismatic or interesting as Dan but hope I will be known from my hard work and attention to detail. (Dan addition – this is not true and to show what an impact Sarah made in her 3 months stint on Hannan ward part of the time, all the team baked her a myriad of cakes, cookies and other edible treats and then ignored all the patients for an hour or so to tell her how wonderful she is)

That week we started packing.  We arrived in November with two 32kg suitcases (well the equivalent of this once Dan’s contents had arranged themselves over the bag collection belt), yet when we came to pack our possessions had most definitely multiplied!  This required us to purchase some plastic containers to aid packing.  So one Saturday between my am and pm weekend clinic we went to Mitre 10 (Homebase) for lunch and plastic box shopping.  Dan had insisted on bringing his iPad to enable us to write a list of things we needed to do, I was pretty oblivious to most of this as I was thinking about my morning patients; pondering diagnoses.  When we reached the plastic box section Dan placed his iPad on the shelf to he could take down the boxes and mimic packing the car.  It was very important that we bought the right boxes.  We then went home, I went to work and Dan went shooting with Al and Alan, (Steve and Steven).  It was later that evening when I asked Dan where his iPad was that we realised we had left it in Mitre 10.  Dan was devastated; the thought of losing his iPad and all it enabled him to do was almost too much.  I had that sick feeling in my stomach the sort of feeling I’d get as a child if I couldn’t find my parents in a supermarket (odd), it was the thought of losing all our pictures, personal ‘to do’ lists, blogs, documents, all those things which made the iPad unique to us.   There was nothing we could do but wait until the store opened and pray someone had handed it in in the four hours there had been between us leaving it and the store shutting.  Sunday morning Dan Wattley, yes Dan Wattley was up at 7.30 ready when the store opened to see if his iPad had been recovered.  When he asked the staff they hadn’t had it handed in so with a heavy heart Dan went to the plastic box section and was elated to see the slither of black on the shelf exactly where he had left it.  

Eventually the car was strategically packed with bikes, cushions and photo frames and it was the night before Dan’s Birthday.  We had a fantastic final evening watching the Hobbit with friends and producing a surprise pink lolly cake for Dan’s 27^th Birthday.  It was rather an odd morning as we dropped off our keys at the hospital and headed to our favourite Greymouth coffee shop for our last coffee on the West Coast.  When we got back to the car having had a full cooked breakfast with cards and presents Dan insisted on going back to the house to check the letter box in case any more cards had arrived.  There were no more cards but content all the same we started our journey to Hamner Springs.   

We arrived in Hamner Springs to the fresh cold breeze of the mountains.  We walked around town and then suddenly were gripped with the hunger bug.  The problem was the only thing I really fancied was tomato soup.   Some people love all food and can look at a menu and feel the endorphins stream from their pores at the very thought of food.  I am not one of these people.  I like food but I don’t love it and sometimes I just want tomato soup.  This was torture for Dan as none of the restaurants or cafe’s sold soup and although I assured him I could eat when I got back to the hostel, Dan would not eat without me.  We ended up buying soup and eating it back of the hostel at 4pm.  Unfortunately the endorphins were running a little thin by then.  The day was recovered by a wonderful trip to the Hamner Hot Pools and a lovely dinner out in the evening.  The following morning we woke to crisp, fresh snow.   We walked up the most magnificent forest covered hill where the snow and frost produced beautiful frost patterns which I had always associated with Christmas.  At the top of the hill we had a 360 degree view over Hamner all perfectly dusted with a white canopy.

The next day we drove to Kaikoura, a coastal village on the East coast.  This time the first thing we did was eat lunch (you’re not you when you’re hungry) and I was so pleased to see they had tomato soup on the menu.  We thought it was odd that we were the only people in the cafe and on trying their food I realised why.   Their soup lasted like sugar and purred onion and Dan’s burger was gross.  Dan really wanted to complain but I always feel that taste and food is so subjective that complaining is very difficult.  So we just left quickly.  As a child at primary school I would always thank the canteen staff for my school dinner.  Some days the phrase “thank you that was lovely” coincided with me scraping most of the content of the dinner into the slops bin.

The next stop was Picton via Blenheim.  I was not a fan of Blenheim it was far too town like.  It was at this point that the seeds of anticipation of moving to a city started to sprout.   Picton on the other hand was another New Zealand beauty spot.  The small town is nestled into the Malborough Sounds so after walking down a street of gift shops and cafes you find yourself at the water’s edge overlooking multitude of moored sailing boats bobbing on the calm waters.  I am so pleased that this will be my last memory of the South Island (for now).

The ferry across to the North Island was pleasant and a little bumpy but not retch worthy (thank goodness). 

Wellington was a shock to the system.  I guess I can explain it like going to Brighton having been in Scotland for six months.  People were dressed ‘individually’, there were more suits than gum boots, and more attitude than west coast gratitude.  There were definitely no cows.  The seeds were more like mini plants now and to my surprise, as I had loved Wellington on our last visit, I felt a need to get out of the city.  We had booked a hostel twenty kilometres outside of Wellington in a coastal town called Plimmerton.  As we arrived the natural beauty of the coast was once again our resting place for the night.  We were shown round the hostel by a lovely, slightly camp man who on passing through the kitchen straightened the matching chopping boards as we went.  He decided as he wasn’t busy to give us an upgrade to a room with a view.  We opened the door to a beautiful double aspect room with a sea view just as the sun was setting...

Road trip part 2

Mitre Peak, Milford Sound

I finished the last blog with us arriving at Milford Sound to discover our portacabin accommodation.   After a cosy night sleep we woke up excited about our Milford boat trip.  Despite genuine high levels of anticipation and eagerness we struggled to get to the boat on time.  I have no idea how Dan’s mum Sheila managed four children and Jeff her husband, no wonder she drinks so much tea (perhaps it’s secretly laced with brandy).   But we did make it to the boat and as we motored away from the jetty into the fiords the sights were breathtaking.  Every so often we would stop a few feet from a waterfall.  The spray would mist across our faces as we glanced up at the water pouring over the rocks meters above our heads.  It was amazing how close we could go; the water was so deep. 

 After two hours of glorious fiord views we stopped at the discovery centre.  This floating observatory allows you to descend 10 meters below the surface of the water where, due to a rare phenomenon known as deep water emergence, the marine life is similar to that normally found 30-50 meters down.   I had been very excited about the observatory right up until the point when our guide told us that, much even to his surprise, they currently had a leak. The glass was 24cm thick to withstand the 7 tones of pressure against each pane.  It reminded me of our safari guide in Tanzania who told us not to worry about the lions just before telling us that if we needed a pee in the night to go in our tent porch so as not to get eaten (that was a sleepless night.)  But I put aside the thought and marvelled at the experience of seeing coral and fish through the observatory windows.  I did quickened my pace when I went past the leaking window- he wasn’t’ joking.

 

We were left buzzing about the Milford experience for the rest of the day. We embarking on a small but spectacular waterfall walk (the walk was small, not the waterfall), before returning to cook dinner in the communal kitchen. There was however another dynamic added to the communal cooking that evening- ‘Aldous chicken fear’. I hadn’t noticed this before but suddenly there seemed to be raw chicken everywhere! People were chopping it on boards, washing it in the sink, stir frying it in various flavours.... I coped with this by avoiding the sinks where the raw chicken had been washed and convincing myself that New Zealand chickens are so happy and organic that they don’t have salmonella! The prayer over my food that night was particularly hopeful.

The Remarskable, Queenstown from the top of the Gondala

The next morning we drove back to Queenstown where we stayed in another backpackers. This was initiated by me as it was half the price of a motel or hotel room of which there were lots available. It was a lovely, clean, modern backpackers and I was very hopeful for a comfortable night. As Dan walked past the mixed dorm to use the facilities he smiled at the other guests with his big ginger grin to which the response was a chorus of giggles. This made him feel very old and I didn’t help by pointing out he may well be nearly ten years older than the fresh faced sparky teenagers. Desperate to cling on to his youth Dan decided we should do the luge which was situated at the top of the mountain up a cable car (Queenstown gondola). The luge is like a little go cart which you control by drawing in the handles to slow down or pushing forward to speed up. After a stunning cable car ride we donned helmets and made our way to the start of the track. Dan let me go first which I thought was very thoughtful as I assumed he wanted to be behind me in case I needed help. He overtook me at speed on the second corner.  
 

After the cable car was the Ice Bar, literally a bar made of ice, and then a lovely Thai dinner. At 4 am in the morning there was the sound of shouting and it seemed one of the girls in the mixed dorm was having a drunken rant or something along these lines. I lay in bed thinking about asking them to quieten down. I heard one of the boys say something about it being 4am and them needing to be quiet and thankfully the noise stopped. In the morning I woke up knowing that there was one shower between 8 people. I heard someone go in and so waited until I heard the shower stop then gathered my bathroom bits and went through. I waited and waited and waited. There was no way I was leaving as I didn’t want to lose my opportunity to shower. After showering this ‘sparky teenager’ shaved and did goodness knows what else as he took over twenty minute after the shower stopped. My bottom was cold from sitting on the floor. The poor young chap looked rather shocked when he opened the door and saw me. To be fair anyone would find ‘morning Sarah’ slightly shocking but ‘morning tired Sarah waiting for the shower’ now that’s a sight! I needn’t have worried as the rest of the children were still in bed when we checked out!

 

We headed off to Mount Cook Village next and allowed ourselves a little luxury the next night. We awoke to a sparkling layer of snow which greatly excited the snow deprived Wattleys. We decided to go on a tramp (hike) and laced up our sturdy boots ready for action. Twenty minutes into the walk we reached a look out where some tourists of the oriental persuasion were taking photos. They asked us if we would take a photo of them and of course we obliged. The next thing we knew they were beckoning for us to be in a photo with them. With perplexed expressions we posed again... and then again so the photographer could swap to be in the photo. Very random but hey, I was wearing what Dan calls my celebrity sunglasses. The walk was amazing but very VERY wet under foot as the snow melted in the glorious sunshine. We were pleased to reach a shelter where we ate our lunch and went for a comfort break at a wilderness toilet. Only in New Zealand could you tramp for an hour and a half through snow, in mountain valleys and then stop for lunch and a wee- I love this country! On the way back we passed our oriental friends with their white trainers and carrier bag of food (as well as their Canon 5D) and wondered how they would fair on the rest of the journey; our feet were wet and we were both wearing heavy duty walking boots. The views were incredible as the snow cover mountain peaks came into view. We felt so blessed to be experiencing the scene whilst surrounded by snow.

 

Mount Seftton

 

We then headed to Lake Tekapo. Dan was reluctant as he had loved Mount Cook and wanted to stay another night. As we cruised along the edge of the Lake all Dan’s anxiety dissolved as the beauty of yet another natural wonder came into view. That evening we went to the hot pools and watched the sun turning the sky a beautiful red behind the mountain peaks before the curtain of night bought with it the majesty of the stars. The following day we went to the Church of The Good Shepherd and once again I was struck by the strength and power of God’s creation. I was sitting in church in a pew from which I could see a vast lake lined with jagged mountain peaks. Tourists came and went taking pictures of the Church and its surrounds. I hoped their eyes and spirits could see it as I did.

After Lake Tekapo we were making our way back to Greymouth. We stopped for the night in Springfield and stayed in the oldest youth hostel in New Zealand. It was quite an amazing place with the old aga still in situ as well as the step ladder which once would have led to the sleeping area. Posters on the wall advertised various coach trips from the last century and I was left wondering about what this building had seen and who it had hosted over the last hundred years.

The Church of the Good Shepherd at Lake Tekapo

 

Finally we made our way back over Arthurs Pass, a journey we have made twice before (you may remember the petrol story) yet every time we drive it, it looks completely different. This time we stopped at the boulders and saw people carrying big mats on their backs. Bouldering involves putting a mat at the bottom of a big rock then attempting to climb it knowing that if you fall you will land on your strategically placed cushion. When we got back to Greymouth we weren’t quite ready to go home as the sun was glorious and we were still reminiscing about our amazing trip. We detoured via the beach where we experienced Greymouth in all its splendour as the sun was low over the water with not a cloud in the sky. We would see the mountains which had been the host of much of our journey in the far distance and I for one felt full of joy. I made the decision during that trip that whatever is happening in life I am going to try and always be joyful. We often search for happiness but forget to make the decision to count our blessings, look at the beauty around us and be joyful. I hope some of the pictures I have attached will help you capture that feeling of joy amidst busy lives.

Much love 

 

 

Lake Tekapo

 

Road Trip Part 1

La blog



So there are a few blogs in progress but having spent four days on holiday with just myself and Dan the blogability is too great to abide chronology so here goes....

I finished work on Friday and Dan and I left for Franz Josef to get a couple of hours driving under our belt.  We had booked into a YHA hostel and arrived just as people were finishing dinner.   Having not hosteled before I found this situation very bizarre.  The room was full of couples, groups and families, all different nationalities and ages and all cooking and eating together yet totally separately.  It was like an odd social experiment- lets put lots of different people together, give them a communal kitchen and see what happens...  We loaded our food into the fridge next to "Bob and Sally's" bag, whoever they were.  I felt a uneasy, had we taken up too much fridge space, had we spoken too loudly or got in anyones way.  As we walked through the corridor I started to relax a little, my inner monologue reminding me that everyone was in the same boat and anyhow I had learnt sharing at playgroup and apart for occasional tears had performed this task generally quite well.  It was all going to be fine, we were just like anyone else...  Just before we reached our room Dan piped up in a very loud voice "is it just me or does it smell like wee?".   Ruined, so much for blending in!  In true hostel fashion I suggested we went out for dinner.  With a full belly and a glass of wine this was starting to feel like holiday.

The following morning we arose for breakfast and plodded our way to the communal kitchen.  Dan and I are barely civil to each other before coffee, a routine which suits us well and neither of us particular notice, but this may well look like a marital domestic to onlookers.  However we left half an hour later post coffee, hand in hand gazing into each others eyes excited about the adventure to come.

We started the long drive from Franz to Wanaka and just as we set off the rain started.  It didn't stop us enjoying a few spots on the way.  We had lovely sandfly sandwiches on the beach (I have literally never seen so many bugs) followed by (another) coffee and soup in a random little cafe full of antlers and stuffed game.  As we neared Wanaka the clouds started to lift and the topography changed from west coast bushland to mountainous farmland.   Not only had the shapes changed but so had the colours.  Greens changed to yellows, oranges and vibrant reds as Autumn suddenly unfolded in front of our eyes.  It was so beautiful we found ourselves wanting to stop every ten minutes to take photos only to realise that such beauty is best enjoyed by the eyes rather than the camera lens.  We reached the second YHA hostel which was right on the edge of lake Wanaka and were pleased that it seemed a little more 'twee' and a little less 'wee' than the last.  Cooking in the communal kitchen was a a challenge well rewarded with spicy Thai curry.  Dan then 'disappeared' for a while (it was my birthday eve)...  I awake the following morning to balloons and cake, followed by cards and presents.  The thoughtfulness of Dans actions were surpassed only by the excitement and willingness with which he executed his plans.  But it was another wet day.  So we did what all intelligent adults do on wet days, we went to puzzle land.  I won't say too much about this other than the 15 degree room made me feel soooooooo queezy and I sent Dan into the maze on his own as spending an hour getting frustrated and lost in the rain wasn't really my idea of fun.  I was pleased to see him when he emerged that the excitement of our reunion outweighed Dan's frustration; he had been convinced it would only take him 10 minutes.

We then drove to Queenstown where I was to be completely spoilt as Dan had booked the Hilton for the night. We enjoyed the spa, then got dressed up for dinner, ate amazing food and had a wonderful evening.  I think I'm much more suited to 5* hotels than hostels.

We had a coffee in Queenstown and walked through the park before starting the drive to Milford Sound.  The clouds were still low so we decided to come back via Queenstown when the weather had cleared up.  As we drove down towards the Fiordlands the clouds lifted and it was as if God was giving us another present to enjoy as we realised that these clouds had been snow clouds.They had left beautiful frosted, snow peaked mountains for our viewing pleasure.  The trip seemed to be taking us through the seasons and we had just hit winter.

You may remember from a previous blog that there is only one place to stay in Milford Sound, the place Jeff and Sheila had ended up in a shared dorm.  But we had learn from their mistakes and Dan had booked a double cabin so nothing could go wrong... Where Wattleys are involved this is never the case!  As we left Te Anu the little town 120km from Milford we saw a road sign which suggested that there was a tunnel we had to go though that was to close at 5:30pm.  We had no idea about this 'closing tunnel' and it was already 4pm and the aforementioned road sign (as well as numerous guide books/maps) stated we must allow 2 hours.  We gestimated that the tunnel was three quarters of the way along and that we should make it as long as we stuck to some rules
1) Dan was driving,
2) No scenic stops along the way.
The drive was so beautiful and it was difficult watching the scenery wizz by but it had to be done!

Made it!  As we checked in to our double cabin I looked at the map of the building and felt confused.  I had known there were communal toilets but this looked like they were outside.  I could feel Dan's anxiety levels rising as he also realised this.  This was a long way from the Hilton.... and our portacabin was actually smaller than the bed in Queenstown.  However when faced with these situations one has a choice, you either embrace the adventure or you don't.  I generally find this decision dictates your enjoyment and despite my appreciation of the luxurious things in life I am actually quite an adventurer at heart.  But don't tell Dan or our next trip will be tramping in -10 with snow and crampons!

To be continued .....

Bula Vinaka

After another week with Jeff and Sheila it seems appropriate to open this blog with one of their stories.  I do wish Sheila would write a blog as I’m sure this is only the tip of the iceberg...

During Jeff and Sheila’s six weeks in New Zealand there were only two nights which they had pre booked, (months in advance before leaving the UK.)  These were the nights at Milford Sound. There is only one place to stay here; a hostel.  Jeff had studiously booked a double en suite room; a very clever move ensuring privacy and relaxation.  Two days before their ‘expected’ arrival at the hostel Sheila checked the booking confirmation and realised they were booked in for March not February!  Already on their way and not wanting to miss Milford they rang ahead and were relieved to hear the hostel was not fully booked for the actual required dates.   However there were no double rooms left so needless to say Jeff and Sheila ended up in a mixed shared dorm in bunk beds!  I am so pleased that Sheila particularly embraced this experience telling us how she brought home her spare pizza to her ‘roomy’.  Amazing ...

We travelled to Nadi (in Fiji) and then on to Musket Cove, a resort on a small Fijian island called Malolo Lailai, the following morning.  Jeff had booked the trip through an Australian company who turned out to be a nightmare and so he wasn’t surprised when our transfer from the airport was the only broken rusty bus and the hotel in Nadi was tired and quite damaged with tape cordoning off many of the rooms. We all wondered what lay ahead. After some confusion about the boat times we managed to get the correct bus and then boarded the ferry.  It was a beautiful journey and as we dropped people off at the first resort they were greeted with singing and shell necklaces.  I think we were all slightly anxious about what we would find around the corner at Musket Cove....  It was beautiful!  Being a marina meant that there were beautiful yachts lining the resort.  It was so tranquil.  As we exited the boat there were no singers but a golf buggy ready to take us for a tour of the resort, as we set off a van pulled up and a chap jumped out with glasses of tropical juice for us.  We exchanged glances, paradise!  The next few days were filled with swimming, snorkelling, sailing and lots and lots of eating.

As Jeff’s treat we all went out on a twenty two foot sailing boat called Merlin 1.  I loved the idea of sailing; wind in my hair, sun on my face, dolphin spotting as I glide over the pacific ocean.... Bliss....  My actual experience does not quite echo my optimistic hypothetical sailing imagery.  As the wind filled the sails (the wind was quite strong) I felt certain we were on the brink of catastrophe!  The boat leaned at a very unflattering angle and I braced myself with silent anticipation wondering what would happen next.  As Jeff practically squealed with delight all I could think about was the massive gin and tonic I was going to need as soon as I hit shore, to get over this experience (and I don’t usually drink gin).   I did survive the experience and am currently contemplating where I stand with regard to future sailing trips.  Likely with my feet firmly on the ground I feel!

I initially thought Greymouth was small but I never thought I would meet people we had links with in Fiji!  On the third day Jeff and Sheila got chatting to the guys in the next banda.  It turned out that one of the guys had family in Greymouth, a loose link but still quite incredible.  Then something really amazing happened.  As the conversation deepened we realised his mum had recently been in hospital.  Then it clicked.  I had seen is mum during my first set of nights at 7.30 in the morning just before I clocked off.  She had been the sickest person I had ever seen conscious and within seconds of coming through the door her heart rate dropped from 150-30 and she lost output.  I started CPR and as the rest of the team began to arrive she regained output.  For the medically orientated out there the gas I then performed had a pH of 6.8, for those who need a little context this pH isn’t compatible with life.  However she defied the laws and did really well with the treatments that followed and looking back I think she is one person whose life I genuinely saved.  And there I was talking to her son in Fiji.  It was like a little nudge from God saying “that’s why I sent you”.  Suddenly five years of medical school and the move to NZ all seemed to have new value.  I saved a life.

We left Musket Cove on quite a windy day and the journey back was described by Jeff as a “a little choppy” however the Sheila-ometer graded but the greeness to Sheila’s face and level of conversation would suggest that it was a little more than choppy.  We said goodbye and Dan and I spent our last night in Nadi before travelling to see Anna and Andrew in Tauranga.  I intend to write another blog about our adventures with Span (Anna) and Andrew so here are just a couple of other interesting moments during our journey home...

On our way to Tauranga from Hot Water Beach I text a national radio station to request a song.  Ten minutes later we pulled into a petrol station and nipped inside for a comfort stop.  Dan then walked in completely bewildered.  It turned out that as I left the car my phone rang and Dan had a lovely chat with the lady from The Breeze- Tanya.  As he hung up the phone it occurred to him that he had been live on the radio.  Unfortunately we had lost signal for the station and despite frantic tuning we didn’t manage to hear our song.

There are a few golden rules in NZ.  One I will now never forget is-

Fill up with petrol before long journeys.

 After flying back from Auckland to Christchurch we had a three hour drive over Arthurs Pass through the mountain range which separates the two coasts.  It was very late when we set off, perhaps ten pm and I suggested we fill up with petrol in Christchurch, but we had half a tank and Dan doesn’t believe filling up until you have less than half a tank, plus we got distracted by food during the petrol conversation and forgot to revisit it before we left Christchurch . Over the next hour we passed six petrol stations all of which were closed.  I didn’t feel too worried but Dan did and his concern infected me.   Now we were at the point where it would take us two hours to drive back to Christchurch and return to the point we were currently at.  Logic would say “we made it one way on half a tank so we should make it back”, but as the rain hammered down, the thunder and lightning flashed and Dan dodged fallen rocks the voice of logic was not very reassuring.  Dan tried to be optimistic listing off our potential options, his favourite being driving until we ran out of petrol and then sleeping in the car.  It was past midnight, cold, wet and I was due at work at 7.30am, I did not want to hear options like that!  Apparently I was being negative.  Isn’t it amazing how being told you are being negative when you are actually quite scared can turn fear into anger.  That’s a golden rule Dan won’t forget!  I’m being slightly dramatic, Dan and I worked fabulously as a team to solve the problem- he told me to sleep and I told him to get us home alive- sorted!  We made it to the village at the pass, the only stretch with signal, and text a friend to say where we were and if we didn’t turn up to work it was because we were stuck on the Pass with no petrol.  Her response was that she had driven half the journey with the petrol light on and had been fine, this was a hugely calming message and we made the final stretch of the journey in a relatively relaxed manner (mainly because I was asleep!)

We had a great week with Jeff and Sheila.  After another week of work we were blessed to have a second weekend with Anna and Andew- another blog to follow shortly!

Much love

S x